System and method for marking the locations of curbs and driveways

ABSTRACT

A system and method for marking the locations of curbs, driveways, roads, and boundaries utilizes a plurality of elongated, flexible, resilient markers installed within the ground by a rigid, elongated tubular member having a diameter greater than the diameter of the markers to be installed. The tubular member has a closed capped top and an open bottom. A given location marker is positioned perpendicular to the ground, adjacent to the location of a curb or driveway. The open bottom end of the tubular member is then positioned over the top end of the location marker and the tubular member is slid down over the marker. The impact of the closed top of the tubular member on the top end of the location marker drives the marker into the ground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Elongated, flexible, resilient markers have long been installed into theground adjacent to curbs, driveways, roadways, and like areas in orderto designate the locations of these areas. Markers, thusly placed,assist vehicle drivers as they attempt to direct and properly maneuvertheir vehicles around and to avoid hitting these areas. The markers areespecially useful to individuals operating snow removal equipment, asthey are most helpful in designating the areas where snow should becleaned and where removed snow can be deposited. Such markers are alsoutilized to designate property boundaries and other bounded locations.

However, installing these markers such that they are securely planted inthe ground is often difficult. Manually forcing a marker into the groundwill usually not be sufficient to ensure that the marker is adequatelysecured. And manual application of the marker may be harmful to theinstaller's hands, e.g. causing muscular distress, splinters from themarker body itself, etc. The use of hammer type tools is oftenineffective, given the flexibility of the markers. Burrowing holes intothe ground is cumbersome and time consuming. These problems areexacerbated when the ground is frozen or otherwise quite hard. There arecurrently no efficient, effective, and safe means of installing locationmarkers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome thedisadvantages and limitations of installing location markers securelyinto the ground.

This and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, asystem and method for marking the locations of curbs, driveways, roads,boundaries, and similar bounded areas comprising providing a pluralityof elongated, flexible, resilient location markers installed within theground by a rigid, elongated tubular member having a diameter greaterthan the diameter of the markers to be installed. The tubular member hasa closed capped top and an open bottom. A given location marker ispositioned perpendicular to the ground, adjacent to the location of acurb or driveway. The open bottom end of the tubular member is thenpositioned over the top end of the location marker and the tubularmember is slid down over the marker. The impact of the closed top of thetubular member on the top end of the location marker drives the markerinto the ground.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use,together with additional features and advantages thereof, are bestunderstood upon review of the following detailed description withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the location markers used in the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows the tubular member component utilized in the system of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the method of installing the location markers ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system of the present invention comprises a plurality of elongated,flexible, resilient, circular location markers, e.g. markers 2 and 5.Each marker has a given diameter, top ends 3 and 6, and pointed bottomends 4 and 7, respectively.

Member 10 is an elongated, rigid, hollow tubular member made of steel orother rigid material such as is utilized in PVC piping. Tubular member10 is hollow and has top end 11 enclosed by cap 12 and bottom end 13open at 14. The diameter of tubular member 10 is greater than thediameter of markers 2 and 5.

The manner of installation of the location markers is illustrated inFIGS. 3-6. Location markers 2 and 5 and additional like markers whichmay be installed, are first aligned perpendicular to ground 20 adjacentto the location of a curb or driveway 22 or other bounded location.Tubular member 10 is then positioned such that its open bottom end 14 isaligned over top end 3 of marker 2, as is shown in FIG. 3. Tubularmember 10 is then slid down D location marker 2, as shown in FIG. 4, thetubular member being continually slid down to overlay the marker untilclosed top end 12 of the tubular member impacts top end 3 of the markerwith sufficient force to drive the marker into ground 20. FIG. 5. If theinitial impact between top end 12 of tubular member 10 on top end 3 oflocation marker 2 is insufficient to adequately drive the marker intoground 20, the tubular member can be slid up and down U/D, to impact themarker until it is adequately planted within the ground. Once adequatelysecured within ground 20, tubular member 10 is slid up U and removedfrom location marker 2.

Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed indetail in order to make the invention clear in at least one formthereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention asdisclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details asdisclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. A system for marking the locations of curbs and driveways and property boundaries, said system comprising: a plurality of elongated, flexible, resilient location markers, each location marker having a given diameter, a top end, and a bottom end; and a rigid, elongated tubular member having an open bottom end and a closed top end, the tubular member having a diameter greater than the given diameters of the location markers, whereby the tubular member is configured to be slid over and overlay each of the plurality of location markers, the closed top end of the tubular member impacting the top ends of the location markers in order to drive the location markers downward into ground adjacent to curbs and driveways and property boundaries.
 2. A method of marking locations of curbs and driveways and property boundaries, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of elongated, flexible, resilient location markers, each location marker having a given diameter and a top end and a bottom end; providing a rigid, elongated tubular member having an open bottom and a closed top end, the tubular member having a diameter greater than the given diameters of the location markers; aligning a location marker perpendicular to ground adjacent to the location of a curb or driveway and property boundary; positioning the opened bottom end of the tubular member over the top end of said aligned location marker; sliding the tubular member down over the top end of said aligned location marker; continuing to slide the tubular over the aligned location marker until the closed top end of the tubular member impacts the top end of the location marker with sufficient force to drive the location marker into the ground adjacent to said curb or driveway or property boundary; and sliding the tubular member up and off the aligned location marker.
 3. The method as in claim 2 comprising the additional step of continuing to slide the tubular member up and down said aligned location marker with sufficient force to drive the marker into ground adjacent to said curb or driveway or property boundary. 